Does anyone have any experience with taking Vitamins, supplements and pain medication? I know they give you pain medication after the surgery, but I'm more concerned about what to do for menstrual cramps. The only thing I've ever found that works for me is Ibuprofen and I've heard that can cause problems. I also don't want to stop taking my vitamins after surgery - especially with not eating solid food. Can you really not take pills at all? Has anyone tried liquid vitamins?

Leannie

Surgery scheduled 12/27/03

highest 296

280/280/140

Hi Leannie,

I was worried about this too. I take Vitamins every day and used to pop three at a time. I never want to take any chances with getting stuck, so I've been pretty cautious about them since banding. But it's not a problem at all.

Gelatin pills, like Vitamin E, go down just fine. Larger tablets are OK if I crack them in two. I figure anything the size of a pencil eraser or smaller is OK, and that principle hasn't failed me yet.

I haven't taken any ibuprofen, though, just out of an excess of caution. I don't have a sensitive stomach and I'm sure that one or two tablets a month wouldn't hurt me. But not taking them has been a revelation, too: the cramps aren't as bad as I've convinced myself over the years they had gotten, and they're over in a day. So as it turns out, the painkillers aren't even necessary!

Good luck with your banding!!

I have taken Advil and had no problems. Believe it or not this was the first month in over a year that I did not have cramp.YEAH! But for pain my doctor told me to take advil. 200 or 400mg.

They also make a liquid vit that run around $21.00 a bottle.

I like the GNC kids vit they have 100% of everything. I guess it is just a matter of taste.

Hi folks

For what it's worth, I took soluble paracetamol for pain relief immediately after the op because I was worried about swallowing tablets....... after about a month, however, I took Vitamin pills, several at a time, with no problems.

The only med I was told to avoid, and then just for 10 days before and after the op, was aspirin based products.....this, I assume, was because of wound healing issues.

Advil, which we can buy in France both as pills and liquid (for kids) is, as far as I'm aware, an Ibuprofen based product.

Hope this helps!

Sarah

I changed to childrens' chewable Vitamins, with minerals. (The Sav-On/Osco/Albertson's brand, with essential minerals.) Post-op I used liquid (children's) liquid Advil/Tylenol when I had a complicated root canal. They also have the disolves-on-your-tongue variety of several meds. If I need them now, I just use a pill cutter and take a little at a time.

However, a recent antibiotic about did me in...but the nurse told me that some antibiotics have as high as 40% of patients who take them having esophageal irritation. So, watch out there!

Sue

Thanks for all the help. You guys are so smart!